I am proud to present a new project at the football club NK Čulinec Zagreb (NK stands for Nogometni Klub - eng. Football Club/FC) .
I'm an active amateur football player for 14 years now, and I've been loyal to the club my whole life. At the moment we're playing in 2nd Zagreb Division and unlike professional football clubs there's not much money in amateur sport.

Official Flag of NK Čulinec Zagreb and the Club in the background.

I can remember how it all looked before 14 years, we didn't have fully built house, trainers were "collecting" children and they were inviting us to move us from the street and bad environment - they just wanted to build us as good and honest people with good manners through a sport.
Now as an adult, it all makes perfect sense, and it's our time to do best we can for children and to develop the football community on a higher level.

I'm typing this post with tremendous warmth around my heart and with a smile on my face, because after i remember how it all looked, and how poor we were compared to what we have today is crucial difference like the earth and the sky. Don't get me wrong, we're far from rich and totally arranged football club, but I'm really glad I was part of the progress.

Our Club Management with city mayor in deals and works check.
Sadly, City Major Milan recently passed away of hearth attack.

Firstly, I have to mention the whole project wouldn't be able without of him (city mayor), and our club management who were persistent and made the preparation/idea very well.

1. The Start of The Project

• Rough Physical Work

The start of the project - Mechanical removal of the football field from natural grass, excavation of materials and construction of a base for an artificial turf.

2. Laying The Substrate + Procurement and installation of a football field made of artificial grass and accompanying facilities

• Substrate in layers below the surface - artificial turf.

• Even though it was snowing and the weather wasn't always workers best companion, the will and the power of agreement made the project going on from the beginning till the end as it was agreed in advance.

• Everything went on its course and the end of the works was getting closer and it was "feeling" as success.

The substrate is the foundation of the system. The substrate also affects the properties of play, ensuring shock absorption, ball bounce, deformation behaviour, and energy recovery.

As in all changes, there are drawbacks. In our case, it was the impossibility of my crew and me to train hard on our field, at "our home" - preparations were underway for the second part of the season. I have to admit it was very hard to train at other places where we weren't "domestic" - an obstacle we had to overcome.
As a football player, it's common thing we like to do stuff in groups, and it's easier for all of us to overcome something with the team energy. So we did! We trained even harder than ever, with more people at training than usual. We just wanted to stay together and transmit that ambition and commitment to the field when it all get over.

My team and I training in the rain when temperature was around 0 °C in Maksimir Park.

• As official website of the Park says: Maksimir Park is like Bois de Boulogne to Paris, Tiergarten Berlin or Regents Park London, so its values ​​should be recognized and used in an appropriate way.

I believe we used it in the most appropriate way we could, our will was strong and we weren't about to quit or complain how cold or wet it was. We were training on mud in the dark park, but it was all for our coach that filled us with a lot of positive energy and was with us the whole time.

We have also trained our fettle - ability to run more with high pressure trainings. Athletics track open to the public helped us in aerobic and anaerobic part which usually, in preparations, lasts for 4-5 weeks. Personally, I find that part the most difficult. As we say, "dry running" is not just difficult for your muscles and lungs, but the it has a great influence on a psyche, too.

Maksimir Park

Beautiful piece of Maksimir

• Maksimir is also called Oasis of peace because it really is. Beautiful piece of nature in the heart of metropolis.

3. Finishing the project

• Finalizing the work - Final details, setting up the artificial turf, goals and placing the safety net

A bird's eye view of the fields. Photo was taken with a drone.

Perspective of a player + Safety nets.

4. Enjoyment and pleasure

Finally, after 3 months our time has come! Fields were ready to play on and we took that opportunity like it was the last one. We couldn't wait the time we finally get back at our home on a brand new field.
The first training was done on a cold winter day and it was snowing, but that wasn't enough to distract us of to play a game "we live for" - Football.

I feel like nothing could've stopped us from playing that day.

Finally seeing younger ages out in a training after COVID pandemic filled my soul. When you look at the project after it was all done, it was all meant for them, the little ones, our future.

5. That's not everything! We continued with our further projects

• When the players and the management of the club unite - Great things happen.

After the fields were made, we as a club and friends wanted to raise the step to even higher level. We wanted to look unite as we are and get ourselves personalized hoodies and brand new jerseys. We immediately took the action and went in creating design for our new look. On one occasion we were joking and calling ourselves "Red Pigs" because we were really out of the shape and our club colour is primarily red.
The joke became a reality and we made illustration of a pig and made red hoodies. We call ourselves Red Pigs now.

• Personalized hoodies for Red Pigs

One sports company saw our improvement, dedication and how serious we are so they offered us to make a brand new personalized jersey design.

Design they've sent us intended for the first set (Home Games) - Players.

Design they've sent us intended for the first set (Home Games) - Goalkeeper.

• We agreed on the design and the jerseys were shortly after in the production and printing.

Beautiful new jerseys I'm so grateful for.

6. There's even more!

• As a graphic designer, I've contacted our management and suggested of making digital poster and design for our newly formed football school for kids and younger aged boys and girls.

We had an agreement very easily as I wasn't paid for the job - I was doing that for my club hoping that my design will invite children to join and make our home even bigger and more numerous. I've took photo of a new field and let my imagination and skill do their job.

This is the result of a final Poster for Football School of Nk Čulinec Zagreb.

hashtag "vaznojeimatisan", in a sentence (cro.) Važno je imati san > It's important to have a dream. was my main design motive.

• I've tried to stylize that phrase in a way it sounds good and looks good, so kids would get attracted to it and made them to come and train!

7. Grateful for the projects

I'm very happy I'm part of this club. I'm happy I could participate in such projects, I've met a lot of good people and come together even more with my teammates. Also I'm glad I've had a chance to use my design skills and my profession to make it look better and invite kids on a right way.

I'm sure one day we'll look at all of that happening at the moment and say "Hey! Imagine if nothing of that happened, look where we now at!"

With Love,
Tonac.